Resources

RRS Challenger CH135

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RRS Challenger (74CH)
Cruise identifierCH135
Cruise period1997-10-15 — 1997-10-30
StatusCompleted
Port of departureSouthampton, United Kingdom
Port of returnSouthampton, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesFourth in series of cruises funded by European Commission Marine Science and Technology III (MAST III) programme as part of the Bengal project (MAS3 CT 950018). The cruise programme was designed to look at a single, abyssal locality on the Porcupine Abyssal Plain. It is hoped to study changes in sediment geochemistry and biology within a year (seasonal) and between years (inter-annual). Challenger 135 was organised at extremely short notice (12 days) following a strike by the crew of the French Research Vessel, Atalante. A reduced programme of work was undertaken (Challenger cruise 15 days, planned Atalante cruise 35 days).
Chief scientistDavid S M Billett (Southampton Oceanography Centre)
ProjectBENGAL/MAST III
Coordinating bodySOC
Cruise reportRRS Challenger CH135 cruise report ch135_97.pdf (1.31 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralNorth East Atlantic Ocean (limit 40W)
SpecificPorcupine Abyssal Plain
Track chartsRRS Challenger CH135 cruise track — ch135_97track.pdf (0.03 MB) 
Measurements 
Physical oceanography 
Water bottle stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
CTD stationsQuantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
Transparency (eg transmissometer)Quantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
Chemical oceanography 
PhosphateQuantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
NitrateQuantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
SilicateQuantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
Contamination 
Suspended matterQuantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
Biology and fisheries 
Phytoplankton pigs (eg chlorophyll, fluorescence)Quantity: number of deployments = 14
Description: Multiple corer, various sediment chemistry and biology measures
Particulate organic matter (inc POC, PON)Quantity: number of deployments = 14
Description: Multiple corer, various sediment chemistry and biology measures
Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)Quantity: number of deployments = 14
Description: Multiple corer, various sediment chemistry and biology measures
Pelagic bacteria/micro-organismsQuantity: number of profiles = 4
Description: CTD and water bottles, transmissometer fluorometer - three casts to near seabed (4850m) and one cast to 210m.
Benthic bacteria/micro-organismsQuantity: number of deployments = 14
Description: Multiple corer, various sediment chemistry and biology measures
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of deployments = 14
Description: Multiple corer, various sediment chemistry and biology measures
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of hauls = 2
Description: Semi-balloon otter trawl (OTSB)
ZoobenthosQuantity: number of deployments = 8
Description: Box corer - none successful; no samples
Demersal fishQuantity: number of hauls = 2
Description: Semi-balloon otter trawl (OTSB)
Geology and geophysics 
Core - soft bottomQuantity: number of deployments = 14
Description: Multiple corer, various sediment chemistry and biology measures
Moorings, landers, buoys 
Physical oceanography 
Subsurface temperature measurements48° 55' 59" N  16° 31' 59" W — Module Autonome Pluridisciplinaire (MAP) laid on 30 July 1996 (Discovery 222, Leg 1) (Alipor Cruise) recovered on 22 October 1997`
Transparency (eg transmissometer)48° 55' 59" N  16° 31' 59" W — Module Autonome Pluridisciplinaire (MAP) laid on 30 July 1996 (Discovery 222, Leg 1) (Alipor Cruise) recovered on 22 October 1997`
Current meters48° 55' 59" N  16° 31' 59" W — Module Autonome Pluridisciplinaire (MAP) laid on 30 July 1996 (Discovery 222, Leg 1) (Alipor Cruise) recovered on 22 October 1997`
Biology and fisheries 
Biochemical measurements (eg lipids, amino acids)48° 54' 59" N  16° 24' 59" W — Benthic experiment - incubation laid on 18 July 1997 (Discovery cruise 229) recovered 18 October 1997
Sediment traps48° 55' 59" N  16° 26' 59" W — Sediment trap c. 5m above seabed laid on 26 July 1997 (Discovery cruise 229) recovered on 18 October 1997
Sediment traps48° 55' 59" N  16° 31' 59" W — Module Autonome Pluridisciplinaire (MAP) laid on 30 July 1996 (Discovery 222, Leg 1) (Alipor Cruise) recovered on 22 October 1997`
Benthic bacteria/micro-organisms48° 54' 59" N  16° 24' 59" W — Benthic experiment - incubation laid on 18 July 1997 (Discovery cruise 229) recovered 18 October 1997
Zoobenthos48° 54' 59" N  16° 27' 59" W — Module Autonome De Colonisation (MAC) laid on 5 July 1997 (Discovery cruise 299) recovered on 18 October 1997
Zoobenthos48° 54' 59" N  16° 24' 59" W — Benthic experiment - incubation laid on 18 July 1997 (Discovery cruise 229) recovered 18 October 1997
Zoobenthos48° 55' 59" N  16° 31' 59" W — Module Autonome Pluridisciplinaire (MAP) laid on 30 July 1996 (Discovery 222, Leg 1) (Alipor Cruise) recovered on 22 October 1997`
Geology and geophysics 
Bottom photography48° 55' 59" N  16° 31' 59" W — Module Autonome Pluridisciplinaire (MAP) laid on 30 July 1996 (Discovery 222, Leg 1) (Alipor Cruise) recovered on 22 October 1997`
Data held at BODC 
Discrete samples 
4  CTD frame plus rosette samplerTransmittance and attenuance of the water column
Salinity of the water column
Temperature of the water column
Dissolved oxygen parameters in the water column
Density of the water column
Raw fluorometer output